I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 313

Chapter 313

Carter clenched his fists. “Liam, someone must be trying to stir up trouble to get at me! Lauren is just a friend, and she’s lost both her parents. She was unwell, so I, as her childhood friend, accompanied her to the hospital. We weren’t alone. We had a couple of other friends with us!”

Liam shot him a look, which was enough to make Carter’s heart sink. After all, just yesterday, Liam had forced him to make Lauren get an abortion. Maybe outsiders would believe Carter’s words, but Liam sure wouldn’t!

At that moment, Carter didn’t just feel panicked. He also felt regretful and ashamed. He couldn’t hold his head up.

“That’s enough.” Liam said, “Everyone, please make yourselves comfortable.”

At his words, the guests quickly said, “It’s getting late, so we should go. Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Ravelle!”

They had been there for a few hours, so it was high time they left. Soon, the guests departed, their expensive cars pulling away from the Ravelle residence one after another.

Carter sat on a rosewood chair in the study, but it didn’t feel comfortable. In fact, it put him on edge.

Meanwhile, Liam sat behind his desk while smoking a cigarette. His gaze was fixed on the photos. He had no desire to speak at the moment. In the past, he had only heard about Carter’s involvement with Lauren. Now, he was seeing the proof of their intimacy.

These photos had been taken in Colburn. He wondered how upset Rhea must have been when she saw these, Carter had humiliated her so thoroughly, yet she hadn’t had anyone to stand up for her!

As if getting pregnant once wasn’t bad enough–Carter had knocked Lauren up a second time!

Liam stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray with such force that the ember burned his fingertips. However, he didn’t even flinch.

“Carter,” he said.

Carter instantly stood. “Liam…”

“I’ve always had high hopes for you.

Carter took a deep breath. “Liam, I… Those are…”

Liam continued, “You know what’s true and what’s not. Rhea had cried and mentioned these things before, but I didn’t believe her. I thought she was just being emotional and badmouthing you to vent

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Chapter 313

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her frustrations. That’s why I spent time with you myself when you came to Draventh.

“Sure enough, I found you reliable and worth taking under my wing. I even thought of putting you and Nathan in charge of the Ravelle family’s businesses after my retirement.”

Carter’s eyes lit up.

Liam suddenly laughed bitterly. “You’ve really given me quite the gift with this.”

“Liam, I can deal with this!” Carter cried.

“My daughter married you without asking for anything in wedding gifts, and she raised your twins for six years without having children of her own. Yet, this is what you give us in return? You betray her and the trust I placed in you?

“I introduced you to all my connections. I didn’t even do that with Nathan. I hoped that you would succeed so that Rhea would be able to live a better life.” Liam shook his head.

He continued, “You’ve really let me down, Carter. To think that I persuaded Rhea not to rush into a divorce. Otherwise, she would have already filed a lawsuit against you.”

Carter was flooded with guilt and fear. He had already gotten a taste of what it was like to be at the top of the social pyramid. If he lost all of that because of this…

He didn’t want that! He couldn’t lose everything that he already had!

“I thought you were innocent, and I wanted to prove to everyone that I wasn’t wrong about you. It’s too bad they got to see the ugly truth today.” Liam sighed. The Ravelle family would surely be fodder for gossip now.

Carter realized what a colossal mistake he had made and hurriedly said, “Liam, let me make this right. Please, just give me a chance.”

Liam’s gaze was unfathomable as he smiled bitterly at Carter. “And how are you going to do that?”

Chapter 314